Greatest sporting influences

“Growing up in Canton, Ohio, playing sports was a way of entertaining yourself because we didn’t have all of these video games and technology that your generation has to keep you entertained. I had a job since I was 8 years old, I folded newspapers as my first job, and I quickly realized that the sports field was where I would rather be. So to answer your question on what influenced me, I would have to say that it wasn’t a given person but it was that football was fun and a possible way to get away from blue collar jobs” (HB)

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“My father, number one. That is where it all started! He first took me when I was 7 years old to Tigers stadium, and I got the chance to watch the Tigers play the New York Yankees! I got to see Mickey Mantle play! He was one of the all-time greatest ball players, ever. Even the new upcoming amazing baseball player Bryce Harper who plays for the Washington Nationals wears the number 34 on his jersey, in honor of Mickey Mantle. Yet, he doesn’t feel worthy of the number 7, which was Mickey’s number, so he chose 3 and 4 which add up to 7!” (HK)

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“I would have to say my uncle. He owned his own softball team, we had a basketball court in the backyard and he would always take us to Pittsburgh Pirates games and Steelers training camps every summer. He really put sports in my life” (QC)